Catholic Charities

The Sojourner House — Eau Claire

Summer doesn’t slow down the need for shelter in the Chippewa Valley, it increases it. At Sojourner House in Eau Claire, extreme heat, unstable weather, and economic strain are bringing more guests through our doors than ever before. Many of them are the working poor—holding jobs but still unable to afford a place to live.

Guided by our Catholic mission, Sojourner House offers more than a safe place to rest. Here, thousands of our brothers and sisters in Christ find a warm meal, a hot shower, clean clothes, and the chance to reconnect with hope and stability through vital resources.

Earlier this year we were at risk of closing for the summer and operating only during winter months. But our community responded with incredible grace and generosity. Thanks to you, we closed a $450,000 funding gap, a true testament to what is possible when we answer Christ’s call to care for the least among us. Now we ask you to help carry that momentum forward.

Your gift today helps ensure that Sojourner House remains open year-round—a place where Christ’s love is made visible through mercy, dignity, and service. Whether through a financial donation or your prayers, your support keeps this ministry alive.

Thank you for walking with us in faith and compassion.

 

La Crosse Warming Center

While summer might seem like a quiet season for shelter work, the La Crosse Warming Center continues to be a vital refuge for many of our neighbors. As temperatures rise and housing insecurity persists, the need for compassion, dignity, and care only grows.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of local parishes and donors, we have been able to increase our day services this summer—offering more opportunities for guests to come indoors, take showers, do laundry, and find relief from the heat. These small comforts make a profound difference for those struggling to meet even their most basic needs.

We are grateful to expand this ministry, but doing so comes with rising costs. And so, we once again turn to the community that has always answered the call to serve—as Christ taught us to do.

If you are able to make or increase a gift this summer, please know your support helps us continue to walk alongside those most in need. If a financial gift is not possible, we humbly ask for your prayers, for our guests, our team, and our mission.

Thank you for helping the La Crosse Warming Center remain a place of mercy, rest, and hope.

 

The Good Shepherd Shelter — Wausau

At the Good Shepherd Shelter in Wausau, the need for safe shelter and compassionate care doesn’t fade in the summer; it grows. While many associate shelter work with the cold of winter, the reality is that rising heat, limited access to hygiene, and ongoing housing instability make summer an equally critical season of need.

Thanks to the generous support of local parishes and donors, we are able to provide expanded summer services at the Good Shepherd Shelter. Guests can take showers, clean laundry, cool off in a safe and welcoming space, and connect with case managers who help them take steps toward stability. Many of those we serve are the working poor—men and women holding jobs, but unable to afford a place to live.

These simple, dignified services reflect the heart of our Catholic mission: to see Christ in every person and respond with love, mercy, and action. But as the demand increases, so do our expenses—and we cannot continue this work without your help.

If you are able to make or increase a gift this summer, please know it directly impacts lives here in our own community. And if a financial contribution is not possible at this time, your prayers are a powerful gift—one we treasure deeply.

Thank you for standing with us in faith and compassion.